I didn't sign up for that shit

The history book on the shelf is always repeating itself

[Removed] sighed with relief as he returned to his multiverse. This code always felt warm, like a welcome home. Maybe he would enjoy it more if this multiverse didn't cause them so much pain, didn't force them into this damn role. He hated it and he knew Balance didn't enjoy being a Guardian either. But they can't get out of this forced role, no matter what they or 404 do. Because 404 may be so deeply embedded in the code of the multiverse that many see him as the multiverse itself. But [Removed] knew that even 404 had no control over the multiverse. He could edit its code, affect it in some way, but if the multiverse didn't like the change, it could always undo it all. Knew [Removed] too well how frustrating the multiverse can be at times.

“Oh Balance…”

“Don’t call me that!” he growled at the ghosts, the imaginations, of Paint and Mistake, the former creator and destroyer. He once loved all the colors on Paints clothes, loved that paint had dark spots over his eye and cheek and on his forehead that made them similar. He once loved Mistakes dark and broken bones that made him feel okay about his. Or that Mistake multiple arms made him feel okay about his. But he no longer felt affection for them, not after he found out the truth. “I haven't been Balance in a long time and neither would he be if he hadn’t been forced into this role!”

He wasn't sorry when he saw how hurt the two of them looked. He had no pity for them. No longer. And they seemed to notice, because he saw the dissatisfaction growing within them. This wasn't going to be a quiet conversation.

“You will always remain Balance, no matter what happens,” Paint tried to approach the whole thing calmly, but his eyelights revealed how chaotic his emotional world was, switching from one form to another. He felt a certain satisfaction seeing him like this. This false creator had no right to decide anything. “What happened to you is terrible, but we will always be by your side, as we always have been and always will be.”

“Lies!”, frustration was in his voice, he didn't want to talk to them and yet he couldn't stop. "Your entire existence is nothing but lies, nothing more that our minds have concocted to cope with Fate's torture! You didn’t even like each other in real life!”

“But isn’t it more important that we are with you now? We helped you with so many things, stood by you. Isn’t that more important?” Paint’s diplomatic attempts upset him because he wanted a different reaction from him. Why were they so understandable?! They should get angry, react in some way other than simply understanding his anger! Why were they so quiet?!

“But you’re just something our minds came up with! Your entire existence is not real!” This conversation led to nothing! He was treading water, they just didn't give him a feeling of satisfaction. Frustrated, he clenched his hands and turned away, even though he knew it would seem like running away. He hates how his soul aches at the thought of these two leaving him. Again. They had been there for him, caring for him and lifting him up when he was at a low point. And he hated this affection that just wouldn't go away. He didn't want to worry about them.

“Balance?”, another voice, strange yet familiar, broke him out of his thoughts, making Paint and Mistake disappear for the time being. But that didn't stop the ghosts of the past from haunting him. As soon as he looked at the person who owned the voice, he was confronted with the reason why he was erased from the history of the multiverse.

There, just a few meters away from [Removed], stood Life. One of his mentors and the coward who ran away from his duties in the multiverse, condemned [Removed] to clean up his mess forever. In other multiverses, Life was known as Geno, but this one had few similarities to any of the other Genos. His glitches were weak and therefore revealed the melted eye socket. His other eye socket was filled with a variety of flowers, as was the large gash on his chest. These even grew through the tight black top that barely covered Life's chest. His ecto, actually a beautiful deep red with blue speckles, spread down to under his loose-fitting pants. It was framed by a loose, long white jacket that highlighted the red ribbon or scarf that hung over his arms and ran behind his back. Like every other guard, he wore no shoes. And like every other Guardian, Life also carried a set of golden scales. Life wore it as a thin chain that hung around his waist. This only caused his arms to burn, right where his scales were burned into his arm. He felt the scorching chains that held him bound to other guardians. He did not lose the chains even in this life.

"What do you want?" [Removed] didn't hide his displeasure at how dissatisfied he was with seeing the other guardian. And almost with some satisfaction he watched as Life frowned, obviously not understanding that "Balance" didn't want to see him, didn't even want to be near him. "I'm busy"

Life's gaze immediately landed on the soul in [Removed] hand and his gaze darkened. Oh, what was he thinking now? That he created a soul himself? Or stole someone's soul? Oh, how he would love to have a look into his mind now, just to find out what he thought of him now. Was he disgusted? Did he find him repulsive now? Did he want to be the one this time to rip his soul out of his body, turning his body into dust?

Only Life surprised him by pulling [Removed] closer to himself, hiding him and especially the soul. He looked around as if to make sure no one had seen this. Why did he react like that? Shouldn't Life be screaming at him, calling him a monster because he's holding the soul of another monster? What was going on?!

“What the hell are you thinking, presenting this so openly?!” Life hissed quietly, surprising [Removed] even more. “When someone sees you like that, it becomes difficult. Let alone when Death sees you like that!”

“What?” He looked at Life confused. This guardian made no sense! What the hell had gotten into him?!

“Since you came back with the souls of Despair's gang and Mistakes counterpart, Death has been acting strangely. He's constantly looking for reasons to lock you up and kill you. Nobody and King Multiverse agree with him!” Slowly it began to dawn on [Removed] what was going on here. Why Life was so different than he remembers. "I do my best to argue against them, but without Despair and Hover leaving their AU to join the Council, I'm the minority."

[Removed] can't help but laugh. The fact that he got new guardians didn't help at all. If anything, the target on his back has only gotten bigger. "Well, maybe it's not such a bad thing that the Council will be filling up with new Guardians soon."

Now Life looked confused again, as if he didn't understand what [Removed] meant. “Are you talking about the children in Hover and Despair’s care? They are still children. It will be years before they are even of the age to join the council. And that doesn’t solve the problem that Nobody and KM would still be on the council.”

“Let the two of them be my worry.”, chuckling, he patted him gently on the arm. His grin only grew and he felt excitement rise within him. “You, Hover, Despair and 404 will simply concentrate on ensuring that these children can complete their education in peace.”

“And what are you going to do?”, the critical look on his face told him everything. Life didn't trust him not to do something stupid and self-destructive. Guess he really cares about Balance after taking enough time to really get to know him. It's just a shame that won't affect his ending.

"I," he began, raising his soul hand with a grin on his face. “I will prepare our little friend to join the children. After all, I can't allow a position in the balance to be unfilled~" Although he won't allow anyone to take the king's place. This multiverse doesn't need a king. Never needed it. "Besides, Void has had its claws in this multiverse for too long."

History will repeat itself. It was a certainty that vibrated in his bones. Just as he could already hear the scythes of death rattling for him. But he wouldn't stop this time until he dragged them all with him.

This time there is no one who can stop him from his plan. Everyone has already been taken from him and he will make sure they feel the consequences of taking everything he cares about.

The war starts.